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Eleanor Alex Obituary
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Eleanor was born on March 24, 1927 in her family home in Greene County near Rippey, Iowa to her parents, Loyde and Blanche (McDowell) Rhoades.
Eleanor graduated from Perry High School in 1944. She married Mahlon (Jap) Fagen on September 24, 1944 at First Presbyterian Church in Perry, Iowa. To this union, four children were born: Willis (Bud), Jacquelyn, Stephen, and Meladee. The family lived in Rippey and Perry until moving to Grand Junction in 1958. After Jap's passing in 1965, Eleanor married William (Bill) Alex in 1972. Bill died in 1984.
Through the years, Eleanor was a member of Perry Does, Rippey Alice Blue Rebekah Lodge, and El Carim Club. She also was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction, Iowa where she served as a Deacon, Elder, and Session Clerk.
Besides her most treasured job of being a homemaker, Eleanor had various stints of employment at Bournes, NC+ Seed Corn, Avon, waitressing, and at the Rippey First National Bank.
Of all the things Eleanor did in her life, the one she was most proud of was being a mom and grandma. Her children and grandchildren kept her on the go with their participation in music, sports, school plays and other activities. She will long be remembered for her sweet smile and pleasant personality.
Eleanor is survived by her children: Bud (Pat) Fagen of Grand Junction; Jacquie (Fred) Grow of Boone; Steve (Sue) Fagen of Urbandale; and Meladee (Kevin) Graven of Grand Junction; grandchildren: Kellie (Pat) Henderson, Todd Fagen, Annie (Jake) Smith, Jessica (Matt) Bannon, Brett (Cathy) Fagen, Stephen (Liz) Grow, Michelle (Rick) Roquet, Tracy (Dan) Jessen, James (Patricia) Miller, Alisha Fagen, Travis Graven, Kyle Graven, Cory (Kimberly) Graven; 27 great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; and two step-sons: Dr. David Alex and Steven Alex. Preceding her in death were her parents, Loyde and Blanche Rhoades; husband, Mahlon (Jap) Fagen; husband, William (Bill) Alex; and sisters: Doris Hagge and Joanne Kay Lingner.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30am Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction, Iowa. Interment will be in Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry. Visitation with the family present to greet friends will be Monday, October 28 from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the church. Memorials may be used at the discretion of the family.
Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson, Iowa.
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